


Wedding Runes

by Lorren



Category: The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, First Time, Fluff, One Shot, contains Chain of Gold spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24442672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorren/pseuds/Lorren
Summary: James and Cordelia place their wedding runes on each other after their marriage.
Relationships: Cordelia Carstairs/James Herondale
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	Wedding Runes

“Daisy.”

Cordelia Carstairs’s heart hammered as she entered the dimly lit bedroom, wearing her kingfisher-blue robe. Underneath, the lingerie she wore was so scandalous that she blushed when her mother, of all people, brought it home for her. She gingerly sat down on the bed, where James watched her, his gold eyes dark with desire.

“We don’t have to do this, you know.”

Cordelia shook her head. “We do. I know we’re just friends, James, but it needs to at least appear that our marriage is real.”

“But wedding runes are permanent.” In a year, when they got their divorce, it would remain. They would draw a line through it to signify their bond had broken, and eventually the rune would fade.

Cordelia put her hand on James’s chest. “I know. But it’s what they expect.”

“Nobody would know.”

She raised an eyebrow. “We’re Shadowhunters. We’ll get injured in battle. Someday, we’ll end up in the infirmary. Then what? They won’t see the marriage runes, and find out this was all a lie?”

“I just—one day, I wanted your real love to do this for you.”

_Oh James, if you only knew how my heart only beats for you._

Cordelia took a deep breath. “And my—real love—will expect me to have been married and divorced. This is what we signed up for, James. We need to follow through.”

“Fine.” James reached for the button on his white button-up shirt, which he had worn underneath his gold wedding attire he had married in earlier that day.

“No. Let me.” Cordelia shifted on the bed, straddled James’s lap, and reached for the top mother of pearl button. James inhaled sharply.

She undid the top button, revealing a sliver of skin. Her hands shook as they trailed down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt along the way.

“Daisy.” He put his hand on hers. “We really don’t have to do this.”

She looked into his eyes. “I want to.” _I want this more than anything._

He smiled, and she resumed unbuttoning his shirt, tossing it to the floor when she was done.

Cordelia reached for the stele on the nightstand next to the bed. She placed it over his heart and began to draw. “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm,” she whispered, meaning every word. When James said those words, he wouldn’t mean it, but she meant it with every fiber of her being, just as she meant the wedding vows she said earlier that day. “For love is strong as death, the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”

James grabbed her wrist as she finished drawing. “Daisy, my angel, my love.” He took the stele from her hand and placed it back on the nightstand, then brushed her long hair behind her back. “I hope I can make you happy this year.”

_This will be the happiest year of my life. The only thing that will darken it is I know it will end._ “You will.”

He kissed her jaw. “Your turn,” he whispered into her ear.

James pulled on the tie to her satin robe and pushed the fabric aside, revealing a nearly bare shoulder and her lingerie. His gaze slid from her face down her body, drinking it all in. Cordelia felt weak under his scrutiny.

He reached for the stele and pushed her back on the bed, making her gasp. She looked up at him as he placed the stele on her skin between her breasts. The contact was pleasurable and painful at the same time.

James swallowed. He repeated the traditional words as he drew the rune over her heart.

Cordelia placed her hand on his cheek. He tossed the stele on the floor.

“We don’t have to—consummate—our marriage if we don’t want to,” he said.

“Remember the Whispering Room?” She pulled him down over her. “I know it was all pretend, but I still liked it, didn’t you?”

His lips met hers briefly. Electricity spread through her body. “I _definitely_ remember the Whispering Room. But when you meet your true love—”

_There will never be anybody after you._ “He would know I had been married.”

James ran his hand along her hair. “I want you to be happy.”

“I will be.” She kissed him again. “Let’s make the most of this year, and worry about next year when it comes.”

He lowered his lips to hers. Although they were to divorce in a year, Cordelia wanted to take advantage of the time they’d have together. It would be the best year of her life.

They continued what they had started all those months ago, in the Whispering Room, and the embers of passion in Cordelia’s heart erupted into a bonfire.

**Author's Note:**

> Sure, this won't be canon (can't wait for Chain of Iron!), but this scene has been going through my head for the past couple of days and I had to write it. I hope you like it!
> 
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
